The Spiderwick Chronicles (2008)

Director:

Mark Waters

Writers (WGA):

Karey Kirkpatrick (screenplay) and
David Berenbaum (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

14 February 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Family | Fantasy

Tagline:

Their World Is Closer Than You Think

Plot:

Upon moving into the run-down Spiderwick Estate with their mother, twin brothers Jared and Simon Grace, along with their sister Mallory, find themselves pulled into an alternate world full of faeries and other creatures.

Plot Keywords:

Troll | Salt | Merrian | Dual Role | Basilisk

US Showtimes:

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Cast

Freddie Highmore	...	Jared Grace / Simon Grace
Sarah Bolger	...	Mallory Grace
Nick Nolte	...	Mulgarath
Mary-Louise Parker	...	Helen Grace
Joan Plowright	...	Aunt Lucinda Spiderwick
David Strathairn	...	Arthur Spiderwick
Seth Rogen	...	Hogsqueal (voice)
Jordy Benattar	...	Young Lucinda
Martin Short	...	Thimbletack (voice)
Andrew McCarthy	...	Richard Grace
Tod Fennell	...	Helen's Co-Worker
Mariah Inger	...	Nurse
Jeremy Lavalley	...	Tow Truck Driver
Lise Durocher-Viens	...	Mrs. Spiderwick
Tyler Patrick Jones	...	Additional Performer

Also Known As:

The Spiderwick Chronicles: The IMAX Experience (USA) (IMAX version)

MPAA:

Rated PG for scary creature action and violence, peril and some thematic elements.

Runtime:

107 min (unrated version) | USA:97 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | DTS | SDDS | Sonics-DDP (IMAX version)

Certification:

Peru:PT | Singapore:PG | Philippines:G (MTRCB) | Australia:PG | Finland:K-11 | UK:PG | South Africa:10M | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | Ireland:PG | Germany:6 | Portugal:M/12 | USA:PG (certificate #43900) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Argentina:Atp | Netherlands:6 | Canada:PG (Alberta/British Columbia/Ontario) | Canada:G (Manitoba/Quebec) | Norway:11 | South Korea:All | Sweden:11 | Malaysia:U

Filming Locations:

Montréal, Québec, Canada

Company:

Kennedy/Marshall Company, The

Trivia:

Film prints were shipped to some theaters under the fake title -- "Widow".

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Jared is pulling himself up the dumbwaiter for the first time, in one shot the dumbwaiter is continuously moving up. The dumbwaiter only moves when he pulls the rope, but it keeps moving in between pulls.

Quotes:

Hogsqueal: Do birds live in these little houses?
Jared Grace: Yeah.
Hogsqueal: Oh my gosh, that's genius! Who thought of that? You can stick your tongue right in it!
[begins slobbering over a birdhouse]

Movie Connections:

References "Star Trek" (1966)

Comparing to Harry Potter...

This is being compared to Harry Potter? That is completely ridiculous. Some idiotic critics are saying "This movie isn't like Harry Potter, therefore, it's terrible" This movie is an amazing example of a fantasy movie, and one that doesn't cut much out, unlike Harry Potter. This movie has great acting, especially by the dual-part playing Freddie Highmore, who loses his British accent quite convincingly. Also, Sarah Bolger and Mary-Louise Parker do superb jobs with their acting considering it's mostly a four-person cast. (Excluding voice overs) The special effects alone are amazing. If you don't like this movie, you have to admit, the special effects were amazing. If there were a sequel, I would most definitely see it as long as it has the same actors, special effects team, and director.